Marking apparatus



Dec. 3, 1963 F. c. WORTH MARKING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-She et 1 Filed June 2'7, 1961 iNVENTOR N FRANCIS C. WORTH ATTORNEY e 3, 1963 F. c. WORTH MARKING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 27, 1961 Dec. 3, 1963 F. c. WORTH MARKING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 27, 1961 INVENTOR FRANCIS C. WORTH Q BY ATTORNEY Dec. 3, 1963 F. c. WORTH MARKING APPARATUS 4 SheetsSheet 4 Filed June 27, 1961 lNVENTOR FRANCIS c. WORTH BY 6 %Wfl 7 ATTORNEY 3,112,639 MARYJNG APPARATUS Francis C. Worth, Ridgewood, N32, desi ner to Adolph Gottsehc, Inc, Hillside, N..i., a corporation of New York Filed June 27, 1961, Ser. No. 129,994 15 Claims. (Cl. 161-35} This invention relates generally to marking apparatus, and more particularly is directed to an improved apparatus adapted to mark a side surface and the trailing end surface of each of a series of articles, for example, boxes, cartons and the like, which are successively conveyed past the marking apparatus.

Heretofore, various types of apparatus have been proposed for the purpose of marking the side surfaces and trailing end surfaces of articles of the kind mentioned above, as such articles are successively conveyed past the apparatus. In an existing marking apparatus of the described character, the forces required for moving the marking element into and out of contact with the successive articles are exerted by the articles themselves against actuating members of the apparatus. However, the actuation of the marking apparatus by the successive conveyed articles to be marked can be disadvantageous in the following respects:-

The force required to be exerted by the article against the actuating member or members of the marking apparatus may result in damage to the article; the mechanical arrangement necessary for actuation by the article usually produces a path of travel for the marking element which, under certain circumstances, can result in imperfect marking of the trailing end surfaces of the articles; and the speed at which the marking element is withdrawn from the path of travel of the conveyed article following the completion of the marking operation is limited or determined by the speed at which the successive articles are conveyed, so that the existing apparatus generally requires a relatively large spacing between the successive conveyed articles in order to avoid jamming of the marking element therebetween.

In order to avoid the above disadvantages of the existing marking apparatus actuated by the successive articles to be marked, it has also been proposed to efiect actuation of the marking element into and out of contact with the successive articles by either pneumatically or electromagnetically operated means. However, in many installations where a marking apparatus of the described character is required, either compressed air is not available for pneumatic actuation, or the environment in which the marking apparatus is called upon the operate prohibits the use of electromagnetically operated means, such as, a solenoid, for providing the power by which the marking element is moved out of contact, or both into and out of contact with the successive articles to be marked.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved marking apparatus of the described character, that is, an apparatus for marking a side surface and the trailing end surface, or only the trailing end surface of each of the successive conveyed articles, and wherein the marking element is moved into and out of marking contact with each of the successive articles by article-controlled, and positively and rapidly acting mechanical arrangement, with the arrangement which moves the marking element out of contact with the marked atent article being driven either from the conveyor transporting the successive articles past the marking apparatus or by a separate drive means, such as, an electric motor.

Another object is to provide a marking apparatus of the described character having a safety device which prevents the operation of the marking apparatus inthe even-t that the spacing between an article to be marked and the next article on the conveyor is too small to permit the safe movement of the marking element into and out of contact with the article to be marked without interference from the next article on the conveyor.

A further object is to provide a marking apparatus of the described character wherein, in the event that an article on the conveyor interferes with the normal return of the marking element out of contact with an article which has been marked, a safety release provided in the mechanical arrangement, by which the marking element is moved out of contact with the marked article, is made to separate so as to avoid damage to the apparatus.

in accordance with an aspect of this invention, an apparatus for marking a side surface and the trailing end surface, or only the trailing end surface of each of the articles conveyed past the marking apparatus includes a support arm pivotally mounted, adjacent one end, on an axis disposed adjacent one side of the path of the conveyed articles for swinging across such path from an inoperative or retracted position, where the entire support arm and a marking wheel or roll rotatably mounted on the free end of the arm and carrying one or more marking elements on its periphery are removed from the path of travel. During such swinging movement of the support arm from the inoperative or retracted position, the marking wheel or roll initially efieots rolling contact with a side surface of a conveyed article and then rolls across the trailing end surface of the latter, and, thereafter, the arm is swingably returned to the retracted or inoperative position. Further, the movement of the support 'arm from its inoperative or retracted position across the path of travel of the conveyed articles is effected by a spring force acting thereon, whereas the return swinging movement of the arm back to its inoperative or retracted position is efiected by a crank and link mechanism which is driven by a single revolution clutch triggered by the support arm when the marking wheel or roll has traveled to a predetermined extent across the trailing end surface of the marked article, and the crank and link mechanism preferably has a separable connection to the support arm constituting the safety release for preventing damage to such mechanism in the event that the return swinging movement of the arm is strongly resisted, for example, by interference from a conveyed article following the marked article with too small a distance therebetween.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the support arm is releasably held in its inoperative or retracted position against the spring force acting thereon by means of a main latch mechanism having a finger rejecting into the path of travel of the conveyed articles at a location which follows, or is downstream with respect to the location of the marking wheel or roll in the inoperative position of the support arm, and such main latch mechanism is released in response to actuating engagement of its finger by the leading end of a conveyed article to be marked, whereby the support arm is free to swing in the direction toward the path of the conveyed 9 articles at a time when a side surface of an article to be marked is disposed adjacent the marking wheel or roll.

By reason of the foregoing characteristic of the marking apparatus embodying the invention, the article to be marked controls the operation of the apparatus by exerting the relatively small force necessary for release of the main latch mechanism, but is not called upon to exert the relatively large forces required for movement of the support arm into the path of travel of the articles during marking of an article, or for effecting the return movement of the support arm to its inoperative or retracted position, which return movement must be rapid to permit the operation of the marking apparatus in as sociation with a conveyor having relatively closely spaced apart articles thereon.

in accordance with a further aspect of the invention, the marking apparatus is provided with an article controlled, electrically operated safety latch mechanism operative to prevent substantial swinging movement of the support arm from its inoperative or retracted position, even upon release of the previously mentioned main latch mechanism, in the event that the conveyed article causing release of the latter is followed too closely by the next article on the conveyor, thereby ensuring that the swingable support arm will not become jammed between two adjacent conveyed articles.

The above, and other objects, features and advantages of the invention, will be apparent in the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment thereof which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a marking apparatus embodying the present invention, with the support arm thereof being shown in full lines in its inoperative or retracted position immediately after its return to such position, and the support arm is further shown, in broken lines, in the position occupied by the arm when the marking wheel or roll has traveled to a predetermined extent across the trailing end surface of a marked article;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 22 of PI". 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2 to illustrate the crank and link mechanisrn by which the swingable support arm is returned to its inoperative or retracted position, with such crank and link mechanism being shown, in full lines, in the condition thereof at the commencement of a marking operation;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 1, and showing the details of the marking wheel included in the apparatus embodying this invention;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary top plan view of a portion of the marking apparatus shown in FIG. 1, and illustrating the condition of such apparatus, and particularly of the safety latch mechanism included therein, as a conveyed article to be marked approaches the location of the marking apparatus along the conveyor;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG( 6, but showing the condition of the apparatus at a later stage of the operating cycle;

FIG, 8 is still another view similar to FIGS. 6 and 7, but showing the condition of the apparatus, and particularly of the safety latch mechanism thereof, at a still later stage of the operating cycle; and

FIG. 9 is a view similar to each of FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, but illustrating the manner in which the safety latch mechanism operates to prevent movement of the support arm into the path of travel of the conveyed articles in the event that an article to be marked is followed too closely by the next article on the conveyor.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and initially to FIG. 1 thereof, it will be seen that a marking apparatus embodying the present invention, and there generally iden- ,112,ess

tified by the reference numeral fill, includes a base plate 12 secured, at its opposite ends, to brackets 14 having split clamps 16 that are adjustable along posts 11% extending upwardly from pedestals 29. The pedestals 20 are secured on a frame member (not shown) extending along one side of a conveyor by which the successive cartons, boxes or other articles to be marked, such as those indicated at A and A are transported past marking apparatus it The attachment of the pedestals 24) to the frame member of the conveyor is preferably effected by means of screws 22 which pass through elongated slots 24 formed in pedestals 2i and extending parallel to the direction of movement of the articles on the conveyor, so that screws 22 can be loosened to permit adjustment of the position of marking apparatus 10 along the conveyor, while clamps 16 of brackets 14 can be loosened to permit the vertical adjustment of base plate 12 of marking apparatus ill relative to the path of travel of the conveyed article Base plate 12 is formed with an extension 26 (FIGS. 1 and 2) projecting toward the path of the conveyed articles adjacent the downstream end of the base plate, that is, the end of the latter which extends in the direction of movement of the conveyed articles, and a vertical axle (shown in broken lines on FIG. 2) extends upwardly from extension 26 and pivotally supports a hub 39 formed adjacent one end of a swingable support arm 32. Hub 3% is held on axle 2% by means of a machine screw 34 received in a tapped bore at the upper end of the axle. The support arm 32 extends generally in a horizontal plane and is substantially L-shaped, with its free end portion being angled relative to the remainder of t support arm so as to extend generally toward the path of travel of the conveyed articles, as is apparent in FIG. 1.

A marking wheel or roll assembly generally identified by the reference numeral 36 is rotatably mounted on the free end portion of pivoted support arm 32 for rolling and marking contact of marking means, such as, type or logotype extending from the periphery of marking wheel 36, with the successive conveyed article, and, where the applied markings are to be in the form or" inked im- 7 pressions, an inking roll 38 is also rotatably mounted on arm 32 next to marking wheel 36 and is operative, during rotation of the latter, to apply ink to the operative surfaces of the marking means.

The support arm 32 is yieldably urged to swing about its pivotal mounting on base plate 12 in the counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 1, by means of a helical tension spring :0 connected, at one end, to a pin 42 depending from an ear 44 projecting from hub 3%, while the other end of spring 4% is connected to a screw 46 which extends through a lug 48 on the top surface of base plate' 12 and has nuts 5% thereon at the opposite sides of lug 48 for adjusting the position of screw 46 and thereby varying the force exerted by spring 40 on arm 32;

The support arm 32 is held in its inoperative or retracted position shown in full lines on FIG. 1 by means of a main latch member 52 having integral, angularly related arms 54 and 56 and being pivotally mounted, intermediate such arm, on a pivot 525 which is carried by an elongated support bar 6% extending from base plate 12 laterally toward the path of travel of the conveyed articles. The elongated support bar 69 is spaced upwardly from base plate 12 by spacing blocks 62 and 64 (FIGS. 1 and 4) and is secured to the base plate by means of screws 66 extending through the spacing blocks into the base plate.

A tension spring 68 is connected between a pin 76 projecting upwardly from the arm 56 of latch member 52 and a pin 72 fixed in elongated support bar 6d so that spring 68 urges latch member 52 to swing about its pivot 58 in the clockwise direction, as viewed on FIG. 1, to the position there illustrated, where pin T t? engages the adjacent longitudinal edge of support bar 6? It will be seen that, in such position of latch member 5'2, the arm 56 of the latter projects laterally into the path of travel of the successive conveyed articles, while the end of arm 54 is engageable with an abutment pin 74 projecting upwardly from support arm 32, and thereby holds the latter in its inoperative or retracted position against the force exerted by spring However, when a conveyed article moves past the location of support bar 69, and thereby engages the arm or actuating finger 56 of latch member 52 so as to rock the latter the counterclockwise direction, as in FIGS. 7 and 8, such rocking movement of latch member 52 disengages the free end or" its arm 54 from the abutment pin 74 and the latch member 52 then frees support arm 32 for pivotal movement under the infiuence of spring 40.

It will be seen in FIG. 1 that the support bar carrying latch member 52 is disposed at a location following the position of marking wheel 36 when support arm 32 is held in its inoperative or retracted position so that, upon the release of the latch member 52 by engagement with a conveyed article, a side surface of the latter is disposed opposite mar ing wheel 36, whereby the latter initially efiects rolling contact with such side surface of the article to be marked. As the conveyed article continues to move past the mann ng apparatus it marking wheel or roll 36 rolls around the trailing corner of the article and then across the trailing end surface of the latter by reason of the action of spring on support arm 32. Thus, marking Wheel or roll 36 is effective to apply an inked or other marking across the trailing end surface of an article, for example, the article A on Phil. 1, whereupon it is necessary to rapidly return support arm 32 to its inoperative or retracted position prior to the arrival of the next conveyed article, for example, the article A on FIG. 1, at a position where such article would interfere with the return movement of the support arm.

In the marking apparatus 16 embodying the present invention, such rapid return movement of support arm 32 is positively efiected by means of a mechanical arrangement generally identified by the reference numeral 76 (FIGS. 1 and 2). The mechanical arrangement includes a drive shaft '78 rotatably mounted in suitable bearings in a post 39 extending upwardly from base plate 12 and in an elongated block 82 which is also mounted on base plate 12 and has its central portion spaced upwardly from the latter by means of spacers 84 (shown in broken lines on FIG. 1) disposed between the ends of elongated block 82 and tne base plate. Shaft '78 is rotated, for example, by a drive chain 86 running around a sprocket 88 on shaft 78, either from the associated conveyor carrying the articles to be marked or from a separate electric drive motor (not shown). Mounted on shaft 78 between the bearing support and block 82 is a single revolution clutch 90 which may be of the type commercially available from the Curtiss Wright Corporation under the designation l o. Bl1197226-l, and which generally includes a driving member 92 fixed on shaft 78 and a driven assembly 94 having a miter or bevel gear 96 fixed thereto and being frictionally urged to rotate with the driven member 92 through clutch elements 98 (FIG. 2) interposed therebetween. Further, the driven assembly 94 of clutch 98 has an externally projecting abutment 101' adapted to be engaged by one end of a stop lever ltlZ (FEG. l) which is pivotally mounted, intermediate its ends, as at re r, on top of the elongated block 82. A spring we is connected between stop lever 192 and block 82 so as to urge the stop lever to the position shown in full lines on FIG. 1, where an end of the stop lever projects into the path of travel of the abutment 109 and thereby holds the driven assembly 94 of the clutch, and hence the gear o, against rotation.

The mechanical arrangement 76 further includes a miter or bevel gear 193 rotatably mounted below the central portion of caring block 82 on a bearing 110 carried by a vertical axle Eli. (FIG. 2), and gear 1% is in meshing engagernent with gear 96. A disk 11 is mounted below gear 1393 and secured to the latter, as by screws 116, for rotation with gear A link lltl lying in a horizontal plane below disk 114 is pivotally connected, at one end, to the disk by means of a screw which is rotatable in a bearing provided in disk 114 adjacent the periphery of the latter and which engages in a tapped hole in link H8 (FIGS. 2 and 3).

Link tending along a major portion of the length thereof and having a reduced opening 126 (FIG. 3) at the end of the link 1' mote from its pivotal connection to disk 14.

A pin lab depending from support arm 32 is normally slidably engaged in slot 124 and can be removed from the latter only by being forcibly withdrawn through the reduced opening 126 at the forked end of the link.

The engagement of stop lever 102 by the abutment 106 of single revolution clutch 9d normally retains disk 114 in the position shown in full lines on FIG. 3 where the pivotal connection lZtl between disk 114 and link 118 is disposed closest to the path of travel of the conveyed articles. With the pivotal connection 120 in such position, and the support arm 32 in its inoperative or retracted position, also as represented in full lines on FIG. 3, pin 12% is disposed at a location along slot 124 adjacent the closed end of the latter. Thus, when support arm 32 is released and moves, during a marking operation, from its inoperative or retracted position to the position shown in broken lines and indicated at 32' on FlGS. l and 3, the pin 12% merely slides along slot 124 so that link Ill?) does not resist such swinging movement of arm by spring The end or lever ltiZ projecting toward arm 32 has a downwardly bent portion 130 (FIG. 2) which projects into the path of travel of an abutment or stop 132 secured on the ear id of support arm 32 so that, when the support arm reaches the position indicated at 32 on FIG. 1, which corresponds to a predetermined travel of the marking wheel 36 across the trailing end surface of an article, the stop 132 engages the depending end portion of lever 1-29; and rocks the latter to the position shown in broken lines at lei on PEG. 1, whereby lever 162 is disengaged from the abutment 1% of clutch 9i} and the latter effects rotation of disk 114. During such rotation of disk 11 1-, link 118 is pulled or retracted to the position indicated at 118' on FIG. 3 and acts upon the pin 128 to swing arm 32 back to its retracted or inoperative position shown in full lines on FlGS. 1 and 3. Upon the commencement of the return swinging movement of support arm 322, stop 132 moves out of engagement with the depending end portion 136 of lever 162 so that the latter is returned by spring 1% to its operative position shown full lines on FIG. 1 Where it is again engageable by tie abutment ltlii of clutch 96 so as to resist further rotation or the driven portion 94 of the clutch upon the completion of a single revolution, at which point the pivotal connection 120 between disk 114 and link 118 is restored to the position shown in full lines on FIG. 3.

Since arm 56 or latch lever 52 is disengaged by the marked article A at the time when the return swinging movement of arm 32 is commenced, as is apparent in FIG. 1, spring 63 is then effective to return latch lever 52 to its position shown on FIG. 1 so that, as the support arm 32 approaches its inoperative or retracted position, pin or abutment 74 rides against the longitudinal edge of arm 54 until arm 32 is restored to its retracted position, at which point pin 74 is again engaged by the end of arm 54, as in FIG. 1, to hold the support arm in its inoperative or retracted position. The return movement of arm 32 to its inoperative or retracted position is accomplished during the movement of the pivotal connection 129 between disk 11 iand link 118 from the position shown in full lines on FIG. 3 to the position shown in broken lines and indicated at 120', while the link 118 merely slides relative to the pin 128 during the complelltl is formed with a longitudinal slot 124 err-- tion of the single revolution of disk 114 which restores the pivotal connection 12% to the position shown in full lines on FIG. 3. 7

Since the speed of rotation of'the disk 134, and hence the speed at which arm 32 is returned to its inoperative or retracted position upon the completion of a marking operation, is not directly dependent upon the speed at which the articles are conveyed, it is apparent that the arm 32 can be rapidly restored to its inoperative or retracted position so as to permit the relatively close spacing of the conveyed articles to be marked.

However, if the marked article, for example, the article A on FIG. 1, is followed too closely by the next conveyed article, for example the article A so that the latter will interfere with the return movement of support arm 32 to its inoperative or retracted position, damage to the mechanical arrangement 76 and also to the article A is avoided by the described separable connection between link 118 and arm 32. Thus, if the return swinging movement of arm 32 is too strongly resisted, for example, by interference from the article A pin 12% is pulled through the narrowed opening 126 at the end of slot 124, whereupon the support arm is free to swing in the counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 1 out of the path of travel of the conveyed articles. When such safety release of link 118 from arm 32 occurs, no further marking of the conveyed articles will occur until the apparatus 16 is reset by again engaging pin 12% within slot 324 of link 118.

The above described release of the connection of link 118 to support arm 32 is intended to occur only when the distance between the successive conveyed articles becomes insufficient after the support arm 3?. has moved into the path of travel of the conveyed articles during a marking operation. However, marking apparatus 1i) embodying the present invention further comprises a safety latch mechanism generally identified by the reference numeral 134, and which is operative to prevent the sub stantial swinging movement of support arm 32 from its inoperative or retracted position in the event that the spacing between the article engaging the latch lever 52 to release the latter and the next conveyed article is inadequate to permit the completion of the marking operation and the safe return of arm 32 to its inoperative or retracted position.

As shown in FIG. 1, the safety latch mechanism 134 includes a latch lever e135 disposed below support bar 60 and pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on a pivot pin 13% extending downwardly from bar 6i Latch lever 136 extends generally laterally with respect to the direction of movement of the conveyed articles and is dimensioned so that the end of latch lever 136 extending toward the path of travel of the conveyed articles projects over support arm 32 when the latter is in its inoperative or retracted position, as shown in full lines on FIG. 1. Such end of lever 136 has an arrow head-like configuration, as at 14-8, and the adjacent pontion of the latch lever is narrowed to define notches or recesses 142 and 144 at the opposite sides or" the latch lever in back of the pointed or arrowhead-like end 140. The opposite end of latch lever 135 is pivotally connected, as at 145, to the armature 148 of a solenoid 156 which, when en ergized, retracts its armature 148 and thereby causes rocking of latch llever 1-36 in the counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. '1. Latch lever 136 is resiliently urged to rock in the opposite direction, that is, in the clockwise direction as viewed on FIG. 1, by means of a spring 152 connected between latch lever 136 and a suit able anchor on base plate '12. a

The safety latch mechanism 134 further includes abutment pins 154 and I156 projecting upwardly from support arm 32 and disposed at the opposite sides of latch lever 136 when the support arm is in its inoperative or retracted position.

It will be seen that, when support arm 32 is in its inoperative or retracted position, abutment pin 15 i is dis- S posed closer to the path of travel of the conveyed articles that is abutment pin 1156. Still another abutment pin 153 projects upwardly from support arm 3 at the same side or" latch lever .136 as abutment pin 156, but pin 153 is spaced further from both the latch lever and the path of travel of the conveyed articles that is pin 156.

The solenoid 1.5%) is energizable by an electric circuit that includes a source of electric current 16%, electric conductors i162 and 164, and a normally open microswitch res appearing in broken lines on FIGS. 1 and 6 to 9 and having an actuating finger 168 which closes the contacts of switch 166 when finger 163 is depressed. Switch 166 is suspended from a support 17% which extends from base plate 12 alongside the path of travel of the conveyed articles in the direction opposed to the direction of movement of the articles. The switch 166 is su spended from the support 179 by screws 172 extending through an elongated slot 174 in the support so that Lhe location of the switch along the path of travel of the articles may be adjusted to vary the distance between the locations at which the switch actuating finger 1-58 and the arm 56 of latch lever 52 normally projects into the path of travel of the articles.

When switch actuating finger 168 is free to project into the path of travel of the conveyed articles, as in FIGS. 1 and 8, the contacts of switch 166 are open so that solenoid is deenergized, and spring 152 is efiective to rock latch lever 136 in the clockwise direction. However, when switch actuating finger 158 is depressed or engaged by an article passing the support 170', as in FIGS. 6, 7 and 9, the contacts of switch 166 are closed to energize solenoid 1.5%) and the latter then rocks latch lever 1-36 in the counterclockwise direction.

When support arm 32 is held in its inoperative position by latch lever '52 and actuating finger :168 is free to project into the path of travel of the conveyed articles, as would be the case when the marking of the article A has been completed and the next article A is a safe distance therebehind, as in FIG. 1, the notch or recess 142 of latch lever .136 receives the abutment pin 154. As article A progresses along its path of travel, and thereby depresses switch actuating ringer 153 so as to energize solenoid 150, latch lever 136 is rocked .to release abutment pin 15-4 from recess 142, but support arm 32 is still retained in its inoperative or retracted position by engagement of the arm 54 of latch lever 52 with abutment pin 74, as in FIG. 6. Further advancement of the article A brings the latter into engagement with arm 5'6 of latch lever 52, whereby the latter is rocked to release abutment pin 74 while the trailing end portion of the article still maintains depressing contact with switch actuating finger 168, as in PEG. 7. Thus, the release of abutment pin 74 from engagement by the end of arm 54 of latch lever 52 permits support \arm '32 to swing to a small extent toward the path of travel of the articles for establishing initial contact between marking wheel 36 and the adjacent side surface of the passing article. However, so long as switch actuating finger 16% remains depressed, solenoid 15% rocks latch lever 136 to the position shown in FIG. 7, wherein abutment pin 156 is received in notch or recess 144 of the latch lever to prevent further outward swinging of support arm 32.

When the trailing end of the article A to be marked moves out of engagement with switch actuating finger res, as in FIG. 8, the resulting deenergization of solenoid 15b permits spring 15-2 to rock latch lever 1% in the clockwise direction, thereby releasing abutment pin 156 While abutment pin 154 merely contacts the pointed end 140 of the latch lever and does not reengage in notch or recess 1142 by reason of the slight outward movement of support arm 32 permitted upon release of abutment pin 74 by latch lever 52. Thus, so long as the article following article A2 is at a safe distance behind the latter, as assumed in FIG. 8, arm 32 will be free to swing outwardly from the position in PEG. 8 to the position ins ,112,es9

dicated in broken lines at 32' in PEG. 1 as the marking wheel rolls around the trailing end corner of the article A and then across the trailing end surface of such conveyed article.

However, if the next conveyed article A is to close to the article A as in FIG. 9, at the time when the trailing end corner of the article A reaches the marking wheel 35 preparatory to permitting further outward swinging of support arm 32, the next article A again depresses switch actuating finger 158 to again energize solenoid 15b and thereby return latch lever 3 3 to the position wherein abutment pin 15G engages in recess .144 of the latch lever. Such engagement of abutment pin .156 in recess prevents further outward swinging movement of support arm 32 even when article A moves out of contact with marking wheel 36 and thereby prevents projection of support arm 32 into the space between the articles A and A which is indequate to permit the completion of the marking operation and the safe return of support arm 32 to its inoperative or retracted position.

It will be apparent that, when the safety latch mechanism i534 operates, as in FIG. 9, to prevent the projection oi support arm 32 into the path of travel of the conveyed articles, the article A will not be marked, but the normal marking operation of the apparatus 18 will be automatically restored when an adequate spacing appears between the successive conveyed articles.

When apparatus ill operates normally to mark the trailing end surface of a conveyed article, and the support arm is returned from the broken line position indicated at 32, to the position shown in full lines on FIG. 1, the additional abutment pin 153 provided next to the abutment pin 156 ensures that the pointed head 14%) of latch lever 136 will be directed between the abutment pins 154 and 155, that is, to the position shown in FIG. 6, even though, at the time of such return movement of the support arm, the next conveyed article has already depressed switch actuating finger 168 and thereby caused energization of solenoid 156.

Although marking wheel 36 may be of any existing type which is frictionally rotated by contact with the side and trailing end surfaces of a conveyed article to be marked, reference to P163. and 6 will show that the marking wheel 36 preterably includes a sleeve 176 rotatable on a fixed axle 178 projecting upwardly from the free end of arm 32, a cylindr. al body fixed on sleeve 1'76 and carrying a marlnng element or elements 182 on its periphery, and bearer disks 184 freely rotatable on sleeve '76 above and below body 15h? with frietion clutch material res interposed therebetween. Springs R88 urge bearer disks 1 toward the adiacent ends of body so that the friction c tch material 136 tends to cause rotation of body w'ithe bearer disks. A disk 1% having a diameter smaller than that of bearer disk 313 is fixed on the upper end oralde 178 above sleeve 176 and a pawl is pivotally mounted under disk 390 on a pin 194- and is urged by a leaf spring (FIG. 6) to project beyond the periphery of -isk l il. Pawl 192 has a nose 1% extending from its inner surface and adapted to form an abutment for a stop 2% protecting from a ring 252 fixed to the upper end of sleeve 176.

It will be apparent that, so long as pawl 3.92 is free to proiect beyond the periphery of disk 19%, nose 1% of the pawl is Withdrawn from the circular path of travel of the abunnent or stop 2%, whereby sleeve 17% and body 189 are free to rotate with bearer disks 184. However, when pawl 192 is pressed inwardly within the periphery of disk 1%, for example to the position shown in broken lines on FIG. 6, nose 198 is engageable by abutment or stop 2% so as to halt rotation of body in a predetermined position, while bearer disks 184 can continue to rotate and slip relative to the halted body 18%.

As is apparent in FIGS. 1 and 8, the disk 19% is fixed on axle 178 so that pawl 192 will be engageable by the article being marked only during movement of the marking wheel 35 across the trailing end surface of the article. Thus, frictional contact of bearer disks 184 with first the side surface and then the trailing end surface of the conveyed article will eiiect corresponding rotation of body 18%. The element or elements 182 may be disposed on body list) so that, during such rotation, they come into rolling and marking contact with the side and trailing end surfaces of the article.

However, if only the trailing end surface of the article is to be marked, then the marking element 182 is disposed on the body 13%} so that itdoes not eiiect marking contact with the side surface of the article during rotation of the body 189 caused by contact of the bearer rims 134 with the side surface but only reaches a marking position during movement of the marking wheel across the trailing end surface. In either case rotation of body 186 will be resisted following a full revolution thereof which is completed after marking contact with the trailing end surface, and, at the completion of such full revolution, the marking element or elements 182 will be spaced from the trailing end surface of the article so as to permit continued rotation of the carer disks in contact with the trailing end surface while avoiding the blurring or smearing of ink on such surface.

Since body is returned to a predetermined rotational position at the completion of each marking operation, it will be apparent that the marking of each conveyed article will occur at a uniform distance from the trailing end corner thereof.

Although a particular embodiment of this invention has been described in detail herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to that precise embodiment, and that various changes and modifications may be eiiected therein without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention, except as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for applying markings to a side surface and the trailing end surface of each of a succession of spaced apart rectangular articles conveyed past the apparatus; said apparatus comprising a rotaatble marking element, movable support means carrying said element for bodily movement of the latter between an inoperative position at one side of the path of travel of the conveyed articles and an extended position where the marking element is interposed in the path of travel of the conveyed articles, means yieldably urging said marking element to said extended position, latch means operative to hold said marking element in said inoperative position and being releasable by a conveyed article to be marked to permit said marking element to be urged toward said'extended position and to efiect rolling and marking contact with a side surface and the trailing end surface of such article during movement to said extended position, and continuously driven mechanical return means rendered operative in response to the movement or said marking element to said extended position to return said marking element to said inoperative position.

2. Apparatus as in claim 1; wherein said support means includes a pivotally mounted arm having a component of movement opposed to the direction of travel or" the conveyed articles during return of said marking element to said inoperative position; and further comprising separable connecting means between said return means and said arms supporting the marking element, which con necting means separates in the event that said arm engages a conveyed article and thus encounters excessive resistance to the return movement of said marking element from said extended position to said inoperative position, so that said arm is free to be swung out of said path by the article engaging the arm thereby to avoid damage to said return means and to the article.

3. Apparatus as in claim 2; further comprising article controlled safety means preventing substantial movement of said marking element from said inoperative position ll toward said extended position when said latch means is released by a conveyed article which is followed too closely by the next conveyed article to permit the safe movement of said marking element to said extended position and back to said inoperative position without interference from said next article.

4. Apparatus as in claim 1; wherein said support means includes a pivotally mounted arm swingable from a retracted position, corresponding to said inoperative position of the marking element; and wherein said mechanically driven return means includes crank means, link means connecting said crank means to said support arm to return the latter to said retracted position during turning of said crank means, and drive means operative to turn said crank means to a predetermined extent in response to the attainment of said extended position by said support arm.

5. Apparatus as in claim 4; wherein said drive means includes a rotated shaft, transmission means connected between said rotated shaft and crank means and having a slipable clutch interposed therein, stop means normally operative to halt rotation of said crank means in a predetermined position of the latter, and release means on said support arm engageable with said stop means in said extended position of the support arm to momentarily release said stop means and thereby permit turning of said crank means through a complete revolution from said predetermined position.

6. Apparatus as is claim 5; wherein said link means includes an elongated link pivotally connected, at one end, to said crank means and having an elongated slot extending along a substantial portion of the length of said link, and a pivot pin slidable in said slot and secured to said support arm so that said pin can move along said slot during swinging of said arm to said extended position whil said crank means remains in said predetermined position thereof.

7. Apparatus as in claim 6; wherein said slot has a restricted opening at the other end of said link through which said pivot can forcibly pass to separate said link from said support arm in the event of an excessive resistance to the return of said arm from said extended posi tion to said retracted position.

8. Apparatus as in claim 1; wherein said support means includes a pivotally mounted arm swingable from a retracted position at one side or" the path of travel of the articles during movement of the marking element from said inoperative position to said extended position; and wherein said latch means includes a latch lever pivotally mounted intermediate its ends and being spring urged to a normal position in which one end of said latch lever projects into said path of travel of the conveyed articles, and an abutment member on said support arm engageable by the other end of said latch lever when the latter is in said normal position and said arm is in said retracted position, said latch lever being rockable from said normal position by contact of a conveyed article to be marked with said one end of the latch lever so as to move the latter to a disengaged position in which said other end of the latch lever is withdrawn from engagement with said abutment member.

9. Apparatus as in claim 8; wherein said marking element is in the form of a wheel rotatable on said arm; and wherein the location at which said one end of the latch lever projects irito the path of the conveyed articles in said normal position of the latch lever is disposed after the location or said marking wheel in said retracted position of the support arm so that said marking wheel first eiiects marking and rolling contact with a side surface and then with the trailing end surface of the conveyed article.

10. Apparatus as in claim 9; wherein said marking wheel includes a rotatable body carrying marking means 1 o la on the periphery thereof, bearer disks coaidal with said body and being rotatable by frictional contact with the side and trailing end surfaces of the conveyed article, friction clutch means tending to rotate said body with said bearer disks, a stop member rotatable with said body, and a pawl member spring urged to a normal position projecting radially beyond said body and having a nose which is withdrawn from the path or" movement of said stop member with the rotatable body, said pawl member being depressable by contact with the trailing end surface of the conveyed article during travel of said marking wheel thereacross to project said nose into the path of said stop member and thereby halt rotation of said body at a predetermined position upon completion of each operation of the apparatus.

ll. Apparatus as in claim 1; further comprising article controlled safety means preventing substantial movement of said marking element from said inoperative position toward said extended position when said latch means is released by a conveyed article which is spaced from the next conveyed article by less than a predetermined distance therebetween required for safe movement of said marking element to said extended position and back to sai inoperative position without interference from said next article.

12. Apparatus as in claim ll; wherein said support means includes a pivotally mounted arm swingable from a retracted position at one side of said path of travel durin movement of said marking element from said inoperative position to said extended position; and wherein said latch means includes a latch lever pivotally mounted intermediate its ends and being spring urged to a normal position in which one end of said latch lever projects into said path of travel of the conveyed articles, and an abutment member on said support arm ennageable by the other end of said latch lever when the latter is in said normal position and said arm is in said retracted position, said latch lever being rockable from said normal position by contact of a conveyed article to be marked with said one end of the latch lever so as to move the latter to a disengaged position in which said other end of the latch lever is withdrawn from engagement with said abutment member.

13. Apparatus as in claim 12; wherein said article controlled safety means includes a rockable latch member having a recess at a side thereof, a second abutment member on said support arm disposed at said side of the latch member and engageable in said recess when said arm is substantially in said retracted position, means yieldably urging said latch member to rock away from said second abutment member, and operating means for said latch member rocking the latter'toward said second abutment member when a conveyed article rocking said latch lever to said disengaged position is followed by the next conveyed article with less than said predetermined distance therebetween, whereby said second abutment engages in said recess of the latch member and the latter prevents substantial movement of the arm from said retracted position.

14. Apparatus as in claim 13; wherein said operating means includes a solenoid having an armature connected to said latch member to rock the latter away from said second abutment upon energization of the solenoid, and an electric circuit for energizing said solenoid including a normally open switch having an actuating finger projecting into the path of travel of the conveyed articles in advance of said latch lever and adapted to close said switch when engaged by a conveyed article.

15. Apparatus as in claim 14; wherein said article controlled safety means further includes a third abutment member on said arm disposed so as to be located at the other side of said latch member and closer to said path of the conveyed articles than said second abutment memher when said arm is in said retracted position, said latch References Cited in the fiie of this patent member has another recess at said other side thereof UNITED STATES PATENTS adapted to engage said third abutment member when said 1 845 726 snott Feb 16 1932 latch member is rocked away from said second abutment 1 556 Pimps Fe'b 1933 member with said arm in said retracted position, and said 5 2136897 Thayer 1938 iatel member further has a pointed end extending beyond 2:172:318 Ferguson Sept 1939 said recesses and adapted to guide said latch member 118- 2,195,135 Seral Man 26, 1949 tween said second and third abutment members upon 2,635,435 Mann All 23, 1953 return of said arm to said retracted position from said 2 339 7 7 Hirschey Ju 9 1959 extended position. 2,923,232 Worth Feb. 2, 1960 

1. APPARATUS FOR APPLYING MARKINGS TO A SIDE SURFACE AND THE TRAILING END SURFACE OF EACH OF A SUCCESSION OF SPACED APART RECTANGULAR ARTICLES CONVEYED PAST THE APPARATUS; SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING A ROTATABLE MARKING ELEMENT, MOVABLE SUPPORT MEANS CARRYING SAID ELEMENT FOR BODILY MOVEMENT OF THE LATTER BETWEEN AN INOPERATIVE POSITION AT ONE SIDE OF THE PATH OF TRAVEL OF THE CONVEYED ARTICLES AND AN EXTENDED POSITION WHERE THE MARKING ELEMENT IS INTERPOSED IN THE PATH OF TRAVEL OF THE CONVEYED ARTICLES, MEANS YIELDABLY URGING SAID MARKING ELEMENT TO SAID EXTENDED POSITION, LATCH MEANS OPERATIVE TO HOLD SAID MARKING ELEMENT IN SAID INOPERATIVE POSITION AND BEING RELEASABLE BY A CONVEYED ARTICLE TO BE MARKED TO PERMIT SAID MARKING ELEMENT TO BE URGED TOWARD SAID EXTENDED POSITION AND TO EFFECT ROLLING AND MARKING CONTACT WITH A SIDE SURFACE AND THE TRAILING END SURFACE OF SUCH ARTICLE DURING MOVEMENT TO SAID EXTENDED POSITION, AND CONTINUOUSLY DRIVEN MECHANICAL RETURN MEANS RENDERED OPERATIVE IN RESPONSE TO THE MOVEMENT OF SAID MARKING ELEMENT TO SAID EXTENDED POSITION TO RETURN SAID MARKING ELEMENT TO SAID INOPERATIVE POSITION. 